Insularity affecting West Indies cricket development - sports official Stabroek News February 26, 2000 A former sports editor of the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) has said the main problem affecting West Indies cricket is insularity. Reacting to recent developments following the announcement of Roger Harper as coach of the West Indies team, Troy Peters, former CANA stringer, said the developments clearly showed that insularity was affecting the development of West Indies Cricket. Peters said the reaction by the Antiguans has shown that a lot of undermining and petty differences is the cause of our cricket being forced to its lowest ever level. Peters, who is also a sports administrator, said the appointment of Harper was a welcome sign "not because of being a Guyanese but because he is well qualified and the appropriate candidate for the job." "Harper's appointment could breathe new ideas, bring back the discipline and togetherness once he gets the support," Peters opined. Peters said the outcry by Antiguans can be regarded as only one thing, shameful. He said the Antiguans reaction was not wholly unexpected pointing out that only recently the Antiguans have been calling to play as an independent team in regional cricket. "So what next can we expect from the Antiguans,?" he asked. Peters also criticised the local media's role. Local media, he said, have not really done justice to Harper's appointment. The two local daily newspapers have not contributed forcibly, he added saying that even a congratulatory message from the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) could not get on the back page. He said the media also contributed to the issue by referring to the snub of Sir Vivian Richards and also writing of the non-appointment of Richards. Where is the snub of Richards? he questioned and said the issue is about the appointment of Harper and not the non-appointment of Richards. And Peters said if what has been reported in the media that Prime Minister Lester Bird has been asked to take the concerns of Antiguans to CARICOM then that is a step in wrong direction. Peters said rather than giving the disgruntled Antiguans a commitment that he would take the issue to CARICOM, Bird should be calling on Antiguans to support Harper as was done by Richards himself. To take it to level of CARICOM would mean that the Antiguan government is working against WICB, Peters reasoned. And Peters said Lara's sudden resignation shows clearly that he does not support Harper's appointment. Peters said he was calling on cricket lovers in West Indies to let good sense prevail as from here "it is either we swim or sink."